The Difference Between Commercial and Residential Furniture

When designing the interior of a space, it’s important to keep in mind the differences between residential and commercial furniture. Here are a few common considerations that come into play when redesigning an office space:

Cost

Durability of the product

Cleanability

Design

Follows regulations

Accessibility

Whether you’re buying new furniture to upgrade your brand’s image or because you’re trying to instill a new company culture and up morale, there are quite a few considerations to keep in mind to help you choose between residential or commercial furniture.

Commercial Furniture

Commercial furniture is often crafted with heavy use in mind. It can withstand environmental changes, like being moved often or jostled around. The materials used are higher-quality and will also be durable enough to provide a longer-lasting end result. The goal with commercial furniture is to aim to replace it every ten years, meaning that the designs are typically more neutral and less eye-catching since they need to be fluid enough to adapt to different trends.

Residential Furniture

Residential furniture isn’t created with as sturdy materials and are usually flashier designs that aim to follow trends and be more stylish. The pricing is lower on these, which makes them great for a workplace setting where you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg to replace a broken storage unit.

Fabric and Threads

Both commercial and residential spaces will want to consider the fabric selections, such as whether it’s scratch, stain, and UV resistant, can be cleaned easily, and whether it makes sense for the space. You wouldn’t buy microfiber furniture for a company that allows people to bring their pets into the office, for instance. There are also standards in place that require a certain level of protective coatings to ensure furniture is fire resistant.

Meeting Regulations

Residential furniture doesn’t typically need to adhere to any specific coding, unless you’re specifically buying for a dorm room or co-op area that has rules and doesn’t allow items like certain types of lights or space heaters. For commercial spaces, however, there are usually more rules in place that you’ll need to keep in mind. As mentioned above, ensuring that the fabric is guarded against fire is an important regulation. Some places require workplaces to only buy furniture that can accommodate different ranges of people, regardless of their height, weight, or any disabilities they may have. The Americans with Disabilities Act outlines codes and requirements of what commercial spaces need to do to be accessible to those with any limitations. Additionally, designers and architects have their own guidelines built into each building that you’ll want to make yourself aware of.

Choosing between commercial or residential furniture? Chat with a member of the BOS team today!